Home Again
by elusivemuse
Summary: Paul/Oc. Four years was far too long to be away from La Push, a fact that Ellison Rae knew only too well. It also helped that Paul was there too. Will he remember her as the short kid he bullied or wake up to her being a woman? rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

_I do not own Twilight and am not making any money from this piece of fiction. Now that boring part is over, lets play with our twilight toys! We own those at least LOL! Well, this is a product from me trying to get over a vicious writers block, so if it isn't up to my usual standards, I apologize sincerely!_

Chapter One: Home...

It was one of those rare times when all there was in the sky were wisps of cloud and the slow rise of the majestic sun. The air was chilly, the breeze biting at any flesh exposed. Waves crashed and boomed, hitting the beach in a steady siege. Pinks and intense oranges exploded as the sun kissed them. All over the dark colored sand rested the skeletons of regal trees. Their now broken limbs offered treasure troves of secrets as they glowed in the morning light. In the distance the trees on the small islands lit up magically, offering an inner peace to those who sought it. Ellison Rae tipped her head towards the sky in unadulterated joy. Her breath puffed visibly as she breathed in the cold wholesome air. Three days worth of driving had finally paid off. Her Jack Russell, Deputy, raced to the waves, dancing away when the water got too close. She walked gingerly over to a large log, trying to avoid wetting her tan moccasins.

The log was dirty and damp. Thankful that she was wearing her old light blue jeans, she sat down comfortably, wrapping her dove gray coat around her. The wind built up steadily, kissing the tops of the waves. Pulling out a white woolen beanie and matching gloves she put them on, glad that her long hair was braided on either side of her head. Deputy raced around, chasing the birds and water, stretching his tiny legs. After a while he trotted back up to her, laying by her feet as he tried to catch his breath.

"Good to be back in La Push, huh buddy?" she asked, leaning down to scratch his belly. After leaving her home for Art School, Ellison was also glad to be back, eager to get back to her tribe. Gulls cawed above her, the sun finally above the horizon. Grabbing the dog lead from her other pocket, she clipped it onto Deputy's blue collar and got off the log. Walking down the beach, she stopped at charred remains of a fire. A soft smile graced her lips as she remembered the Friday night bon-fires. Her Uncle Billy brought the tribal tales alive with his melodic voice and his riveting imagery. "Uncle Billy is probably getting ready to fishing, boy, what do you say about visiting?" receiving a bark in reply Ellison walked them up to her dark green SUV. It wasn't long before they were back on the road, only this time just for a short trip.

They drove up to a rustic red wood house that slightly resembled a barn with its narrow windows and white trim. A light shined from one of the downstairs windows letting her know that someone was awake. Stopping in front of the garage, she unbuckled Deputy and got out, the little dog jumping out behind her. Closing the door without locking it, she raced him up to the door, knocking softly enough to not disturb anyone sleeping. After a little shuffling the door opened to reveal an elder man in a wheelchair. His long black hair was shot with streaks of silver and his burly muscles undiminished by his disability. A welcoming smile shone from his face.

"Sonny!" she was pulled down into a fierce hug.

"Hey there, Uncle Billy," giving him a kiss on the cheek. Deputy, who wanted some of the love, jumped up on to Billy's lap and began to gift him with doggy kisses. He let out a booming laugh and gently pushed the little dog down.

"Come in, come in," he said happily, wheeling the chair backwards to give her room to walk in. "What brings you back to the reservation?"

She walked into the house, her boots offering a soft whisper as they moved. The lounge room was untidy, but roomy enough to give Billy space to move around. Taking in a deep breath she began to speak. "Well, Uncle Billy, I've come back home." His happy grin blew into a full fledged smile of joy before flickering into a slight frown. She knew immediately that he was thinking about the derelict cottage that she used to live in. Before going to the beach, she had made a pit stop to check it out. Her heart almost broke as she took in the warped beams, the missing planks, broken windows, the overgrown garden and the chipped white paint. It was a sad replacement of the well cared for cabin that she had grown up in. a small smile tickled at the corner of her mouth. Memories of being at her mother's elbow, watching her cook and listening as she explained the duties of a medicine woman flashed across her mind. Ellison hoped that she would be allowed to attempt to give her mother justice as she took up her role as part of the tribe. She turned her attention back to her uncle.

"Your mother's cabin needs a lot of work before you can live in it, Sonny," he said seriously.

Walking over to the couch next to him, she sat down and picked some lint off her jeans. "I know, I drove past there before I went to First Beach. So I was wondering if you knew somewhere cheap I could stay while it gets fixed." Billy's face grew thoughtful.

"Getting all that work done won't be cheap," he warned, resting his hands on the chair rests. "Rachel is away at university now, you can stay in her room. I'll talk to Sam Uley about getting the boys to do up your house for food and the materials they need." Ellison gave him a playful grin.

"You think they're going to go for _my_ cooking?" Billy laughed.

"Sonny girl, I would do that for your cooking. Your mother taught you well." Ellison shook her head with a soft smile. They both remembered the amazing home meals that Eleanore used to make them.

"Yeah but when it got to the cookies, they never made it to the oven," she replied sheepishly. Billy gave a light chuckle before shifting on his wheelchair.

"Why don't you put your coat up and make yourself comfortable while I make us a nice hot cup of coffee. Jacob should be waking soon anyway, I can get him to go over to Sam's place about the house."

Standing up in response, she nodded and began to peel off her layers. Deputy, who had been sitting next to Ellison on the couch, got up and followed Billy, hoping for an early morning treat. She smiled at her pet's enthusiasm. It was good to be back with her family. Jacob would be so much bigger than last she saw him. A loud thud sounded from above. So he was awake then, she thought, hanging up her coat on the wooden pegs by the door.

Walking into the kitchen, she grabbed the steaming cup of coffee from the bench and leaned against it, giving Billy a grateful smile. "Jacob is awake," Ellison mentioned casually, blowing softly at the hard liquid. "Do you want me to make breakfast for you guys?" Billy looked at her horrified.

"You've only just arrived, I can't put you straight to work." She laughed lightly.

"Uncle, I am so wired from my drive that my hands are almost trembling in their need for activity."

He looked at her for a long moment. "Alright then, get moving."

_Don't forget to review please?!_


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Twilight and I am not making any money from this. Also a shout out to my muse/editing goddess Pinkbelt for giving me that swift kick up the backside I seemed to have needed!

Chapter two: Breakfast with the Boys...

"ELLIE!" was the only warning she got before she was thrown into the air, her ribs being crushed by vice grip tanned arms.

"Down Shrek!" she yelped, finding herself at an uncomfortable height. A booming laugh caused her ears to ring while she was let back down to the ground. Looking behind her with a wide smile, she took in her little cousin who wasn't as little as she remembered. "Dude, what are they putting in the water here nowadays?" Jacob gave her a wolfish grin as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Growth spurt, I guess." Ellison rolled her eyes and turned back to her frying pan. Billy laughed at the two in the background, a large mug of coffee in hand. With a grace that she had from years of practice, she flipped the eggs in the air before checking on the bacon in the other pan. Drawn by the sound and smell, Jacob leaned in close. A swift smack from his cousin stopped the wandering hands.

"Ouch!" he stared at her, playful hurt dancing in his eyes. Returning his look with a mock glare, she held up her egg flipper threateningly. "So do you think you have enough for everyone?" Looking at the large pile of eggs and bacon already resting on a plate, Ellison nodded.

"There's enough for us." Jacob glanced over to his father, trying to hold in his laughter. "What?" her head flickered between the two when she noticed his arm. "Jacob when the hell did you get a tattoo?"

"Its a tribal thing, Sonny. Men's business," Billy replied, stoic beneath her fierce glare.

"Men's business, my arse. Mom never mentioned this to me when I was growing up." her uncle gave his son a look before turning back to Ellison.

"Its a tradition we've only just picked up again." he held up his hand to stop her from interrupting, "I promise that we'll tell you later, at the moment, however, things need to be kept quiet." Not impressed by his answer but resigned none the less, she turned her attention back to her cooking.

"So what did you mean before, by 'is this enough for everyone?'"

Before Billy could answer her, four shirtless men burst into the kitchen from the back door. With speed that belied their large forms, they were at the table, staring at her eagerly. A blush danced on her cheeks as she took them in. The group was a wall of lean muscle, dark hair and intense eyes. Strong jaws and broad shoulders captivated her yet at the same time made her feel threatened. Their eyes watched, taking in all that was around them like wild dogs scoping out prey, in this instance, her cooking. The sheer intensity of their gaze made her intellectual mind battle with her instincts. She knew they wouldn't hurt her, but the raw power that radiated out of them made her want to lower her eyes and back away in submission. Long muscled limbs twitched and tensed, ready to pounce at the slightest threat. Matching tattoos, identical to Jacob's gleamed from their arms, adding to the unleashed fury that danced underneath their skin.

Looking closer, she realized that they all had subtle differences. The boss of the group was big, built like a tank with no excess flab. His sheer overwhelming physique pushed his dominance on the room, almost pulsating in its power. On his left sat two smaller boys, all corded muscle and power, yet slightly less awe inspiring unlike their leader. Then there was the one that caught her eye the most. The one that stared back at her as fascinated by her as she was him. He was tall, packed, almost wiry, with lean sharp muscles. His skin was taunt and smooth, begging to be worshiped. Black silky hair stuck up in all directions, framing an almost elfin face. But he wasn't pretty, he was masculine, handsome, beautiful. Black on chocolate brown flashed with intelligence, and almost darkness. Drawing in the unexpected. Intense and aware. It took Ellison's breath away as he continued to hold her gaze.

"Sonny?" Billy's voice was a distant echo, a whisper on the wind. "Ellison!" his sharp voice drew her attention away from the man.

"Hmn?" her eyes widened slightly in question. Billy gave her am understanding smile.

"This is everyone," Jacob grinned. "The big one is Sam, those two are Jarrod and Embry and the one staring at you is Paul. They're probably a lot different to what you remember." she met Paul's eyes once more before she blushed and ducked her head.

"I guess I have some more cooking to do, then," she said wryly, walking over to the fridge and pulled out two more cartons of eggs. Her cousin laughed at her and grabbed more rashers of bacon. "Its good to see you all again." Low rumbling greetings came at her in reply as the focused on her cooking. Turning her back to the new visitors she started frying again, more than aware that she was being stared at.

"So how come you're not at Emily's, Sam?" Ellison heard her uncle ask.

"She's angry that I broke her wicker table, now she's refusing to cook for us until I either fix it and grovel or buy her a new outdoor setting," came the low mumble. To her it sounded almost like a wolf's growl. Billy chuckled.

"Well, that's a good thing for us," he replied. "I need to ask a favor of you boys." Another blush stole up her cheeks. Grabbing another plate from the counter, she served a large helping and put it in front of Sam.

"Let him taste the food, first, Uncle Billy, before you make the offer," Ellison grinned as she turned back to the fry pan, studiously ignoring the unending stare Paul was giving her. As she fried more eggs, Sam took a bite of his breakfast, letting out an appreciative moan as he swallowed.

"Don't tell Emily this, but I think she has a rival," He complimented, shoveling another forkful into his mouth. "Now what was that offer?"

"You know the old Rae Cabin?" Billy asked in his quiet tones. The men nodded. "Well, Sonny, here has moved back to La Push and wanted to live back home. Problem is the cabin's in disrepair. Now Sonny, here is willing to pay for tools and cook for you guys if you want to fix it up. What do you say?" While Billy was talking, Ellison served Jarrod and Embry their breakfast, not quite ready to face Paul. Sam thought for a moment and looked at the others.

"I'm in," Paul said quietly, his voice almost a purr as she placed his meal in front of him. She couldn't help but glance at him, red stealing up her cheeks. It was almost ridiculous, the amount of times he made her blush. The other two quickly agreed, their mouths full of half chewed bacon. Ellison found it odd that despite her early impression of them, only Sam and Paul seemed to retain their hunter persona. The other two were like little boys in a cake shop.

"Okay then," Sam said, finishing his plate of food. "We'll have a look over it today and let you guys know what we need to get started. Do you mind if I give Emily a call?" Billy shook his head and pointed to the phone on the wall. The other three finished theirs quickly before putting their plates into the sink.

Ellison grabbed the two frying pans and turned around. Paul was right in front of her. Gasping, she almost dropped them. He moved like a predator, taking the metal wear and putting them into the sink with a smirk. "Its been a while since we last met," he began turning his head to pin her with his smooth chocolate gaze. "I'm not sure if you remember-"

"Last time I saw you, Paul, you pushed me into an ice patch and caused me to slip and break my leg," Ellison said wryly, slipping past him to wash the dishes. He gave her an apologetic look before grabbing her hips and shifting her out of his way. Ellison gasped. Heat seared her where his hands rested. Green eyes darted to intense chocolate ones. "Are you always so feverish?" the warm palms moved up to beneath her breasts. His hot temperature seeped into her body through the clothes. She glared at him and pushed his hands off him. "I thought age brought maturity. I can see that I was clearly wrong. You're still a jerk."

He drew back, his face blank and closed. It was a sharp turn from the overwhelming stares that he had given her only moments before. Marble carved jaw clenched, Paul bit out, "I'll see you at the cabin later." He stalked out faster than he came in. Ellison sighed and sat down at the breakfast bench. The morning was such a whirlwind.

_Thank you to all that added me to their story alert. And thanks to Hailey for reviewing._


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Twilight and am not making any cash out of this. Quick note before we get to the story. I just want to say thanks to those who added me to their story alert, I appreciate it, and to those who reviewed, you rock my potato's socks! Its also come to my attention that I have spelt Jared wrong in my previous chapters, my apologies. Thanks to my beta reader pinkbelt.

Chapter Three: Sonny Vs. The Kettle...

Yanking at the snagged suitcase, Ellison braced herself and pulled harder. Straining her muscles, she began pulling. With an abrupt release, the suitcase tumbled toward her, making her overbalance and fall over the stacked boxes behind her. With a pained groan she sat up, only to painfully yelp when the rest of her luggage falling down onto her from the back of the SUV. Loud raucous laughter boomed behind her. Pushing the heavy boxes from her legs Ellison looked behind her to find the gang had returned.

Unconsciously, she sought out Paul, guilty for how she treated him hours previous. His reaction surprised her. Although his shapely rose colored lips were curled into a smug smile his eyes held concern. But why? Biting her bottom lip, she remembered the only other time he had looked at her that way. And even then, it was when she found out her mother had passed on. It was interesting how he went from her greatest tormentor to her silent support in the few days before she left La Push. Although it was a welcome reprieve. Suddenly she was hauled out of her thoughts and boxes. Sam and Jacob looked at her humorously.

"Um, thanks," she stuttered, embarrassed beyond her wildest dreams. They laughed and Sam tugged at her braids.

"Come on, cousin, lets get these into the house. Rachel's room, yeah?" Jacob asked, not bothering to wait for her nod before picking up several of the heavy boxes. Her jaw dropped. Since when was her baby cousin a body builder? The other four snickered at her perplexed expression and followed his lead. Grumbling lightly, she grabbed the handle of a suitcase and hauled it into the house, not bothering to hide her struggling. Billy met her at the door with a smile and a cup of coffee.

"How about you leave that for the boys to do and have a drink with me. You can tell me your plans then let the others know which boxes are going into storage with your mother's things." Ellison dropped the bag and stared at her uncle, stunned.

"Y-you kept all of her things?" Her eyes began to mist up. Billy patted her hand sympathetically.

"Sue Clearwater packed all of the little things in containers and got the boys to shift it to the back garage with the furniture. We all knew you would come back to us and we wanted to make sure you had keepsakes." He placed the two cups on a tray in his lap and turned to go back into the lounge room. Blindly she followed, not quite sure how to handle all the shocks she had been receiving. Sitting down on the beat up brown couch, Ellison took the hot mug and stared at it for a while. "So what are your plans, Sonny?" Looking up, she gave him a soft smile.

"Well, I was hoping to go before the council and see if I can take my tests for Medicine Woman and open a herbal remedy store. Mom always taught me, from a young age, and Aunt Shay continued my education when I moved in with her. I was thinking that instead of jumping straight into it, perhaps I could do a probationary term under the current caretaker and prove myself first. I've already got my license through Shay." Billy nodded and thought for a moment.

"I'll talk to the council first, see what they have to say. They might not even want to have another store open here."

"Uncle Billy, you know as well as I do that most of the people here would rather go to another tribe's medicine man than go to a doctor in Forks or Port Angeles. Why would they say no to another?" she took a mouthful of the bitter drink, flinching at the strong taste. "Erg, what did you put in here? Four spoonfuls?"

"Wakes you up doesn't it though?" Billy laughed.

"It tastes like boot leather polish." a thundering rumble signaled the guys as they clamored down the stairs and threw themselves on the remaining chairs. Somehow Paul managed to sequester himself next to her, pressing as close as he could get away with. A sly grin gracing his handsome features, he stole a mouthful of her drink. One moment later a wet Jacob was glaring at him.

"That tastes disgusting!" he said. dry retching. "How can you drink that stuff?" Ellison laughed at the two gaily.

"I can't," she replied between giggles. "Guess that's what you get when you take someone's drink without asking." The two swung their glares to her. Noticing a potential fight brewing, Billy slid back into the conversation.

"Ellie is thinking about taking her test to become Medicine Woman, if the tribe allow it." Sam smiled gently at her.

"I think with Billy's and my vouching for you, it won't be too hard to convince them. It would be nice to have our own Tribal Woman again instead of using the Makah Shaman. I think he'd be grateful for the rest." Paul touched her leg gently, his body heat making her gasp again. Clearing her throat lightly, she stood up with a bright smile.

"How about I make us all some drinkable coffee then tell you guys which boxes are going to the Clearwater's until the house is done?" watching her lazily, Paul spread himself out comfortably on the two seater. Rushing to make her escape, Ellison never noticed the glare that Jacob sent her tormentor or the smug smile Paul returned to him.

Leaning against the counter, she took in deep breaths, hating herself for reacting to obviously to Paul's attentions. Sure she once had a school girl crush on him when he was being nice to her. What teen wouldn't when faced with that body? But why now? What had changed other than the fact they both grew up a little? She was twenty one to his twenty six, instead of her being sixteen again. Then there were the tattoos and they all being so muscular. Was Jacob involved with something bad? She remembered when he hated the thought of even talking to them and now was right smack in the middle of things. Immediately Ellison felt guilty. Sam had always been nice to her, been nothing but a gentleman. He had always been there to help her mother when she asked for it.

But the question still was, what the hell was going on with them? Sighing, she pushed herself up and filled up the kettle before setting it up on boil. After a few minutes she noticed nothing was boiling. Growling to herself, she found the plug and looked for a close outlet. Finding one, she plugged it in with a slight laugh. Suddenly, sparks flew and a sudden jolt seared through her body. Yelping she collapsed to the floor, knocking the pans back into the sink on her way down.

Drawn by the startled cry and the loud noises, the men raced in. Paul, seeing Ellison on the floor, rushed to her side, lifting her slightly into his arms. Letting out a pained groan, she leaned against him, holding her injured hand against her chest. Dazed and slightly out of it, she barely noticed him lifting her and taking her to the sink. Brought back to reality as cold water poured over her hand, she stared at him in barely hidden gratitude. His focus was entirely on her injury, gently washing it with his coarse fingers. Biting her lip she took him in, noticing his long dark lashes as they kissed the top of his cheek.

He looked up suddenly, startling her. Again, the concern was back in his dark chocolate orbs. Her eyes flickered down his nose and rested on his well formed lips. A soft fluttering grew in her stomach as she imagined his lips on hers. Blinking, Ellison forced her attention back up to his eyes, noticing them darken as they stared at her own lips. Slowly he raised them back up and he gave her a slight smile. "Where else hurts?" he asked gently. Frowning for a moment, she took stock of her body, becoming aware of a painful ache in her toe. Blushing, Ellison pointed at her toe. Sam grabbed a large pot off the floor and poured in cold water from the tap. Taking a fresh dish towel from the draw beside him, he passed both to Paul then moved back with the others.

As he knelt at her feet, she noticed the others hovering around her in concern. "Its fine, just hurts a little that's all," she said softly and reassuringly. "Um, Jacob, can you look into my green overnight back and pull out some of the dry bandages? I'll have to go to the shop and get some more later on."

"You'll do no such thing," Sam said with his tone not allowing any arguments. "You'll stay on that couch or in the bed and let us get what you need." Ellison opened her mouth to argue anyway, only to be stopped by Paul's large hand over her mouth. She glared at him fiercely.

"I'll be here to wait on your hand and foot," he said smugly at her feet as he tenderly washed her foot. "And before you argue, Jacob and I can take turns while the other works." Billy watched her pout with a gentle expression.

"Honey, what on earth possessed you to plug in something? You know you and electricity aren't good for one another." The others snickered at her as Jacob ran up the stairs to get her bandages. Paul stoked the wet cloth up the arch of her foot. Arching away from the ticklish feeling she gave him a look.

"So what bandages do you need?" Jacob asked, coming back into the room with an arm full of packages. Waving him over, Ellison pawed through them before finding two small green packets. Paul stood up in front of her with his hand out for them. After giving the two up, she watched as he efficiently cared for her injuries. "Can I have a wrapper to take to the store so I know which one to get?" Jacob asked nicely, drawing her out of her stare. She handed it over and tried to hop off the bench. Two searing hot hands found their way onto her hips, holding her off an inch above the ground. Eyes narrowing, Ellison stared at him, fuming.

"Let me down," she all but growled. A smug smile flittered across his features and she had to quelch the urge to smack him. "Let me down. Now." her reiterrated words went unheaded as he carried her out of the room and to the couch. The others snickered and stood back to watch. A normally calm person, Ellison was shocked to find how many different murderous thoughts she had to squash down. "I could have walked."

"You're injured," came his smooth reply. "I could always try and kiss it better if you are so desperate to walk aground."

"And that's my cue," Jacob said hastily, pulling Jared and Embry along with him as he walked to the door. A huge thump and a tearing sound was followed by loud chuckles sounded a moment later. No one had taken up her last suitcase from the door. Peering over the top of the couch, Ellison had to stiffle her giggles. The bag had been packed to the brim, almost busting the seams. As jacob tripped over it, the zipper popped, coving him in lacy underwear and cotton shirts. Her pink contrasted nicely against his skin tone.

Realising exactly what he was covered in, he jumped up with a girlish shreik. His reaction illiciting more laughter. Grumbling loudly, he brushed off her clothes and stalked out the door, his shoulders tensed and stiff. Still snorting in laughter, the other two followed, leaving Sam, Paul, Billy and Ellison alone. Clearing her throat, she avoided Paul's gaze and turned her attention to Sam.

"How is the Cabin?" A part of her didn't want to know the extent of the damage. She already felt guilty enough for not knowing the effort that the tribe put in to make sure she had things left over from her mother. When she saw the house earlier that morning, her heart broke at the sight of it, but to actually own up to the entirety of her neglect was hard.

Growing up, the cabin was her garden of eden, her own little world where her imagination could run wild. Nestled in a small clearing in the forrest, Ellison spent most of her time in the woods behind her house, playing by the small brook that wove its way gently to the ocean. Days were spent pretending to be an indian fighting the cowboys off her land then coming back home to homemade pastries. Sighing, Ellsion withdrew from her memories, turning instead back to her company.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Ellie," Sam said softly, his voice gentle. "Its pretty bad. A lot of the woodwork needs to be replaced, bathroom and kitchen renovated and the wiring replaced. It may be easier to tear the whole thing down and rebuild from scratch." Tears filled her eyes. The reality was hard to take. Paul grabbed her hand in comfort, reminicent of his behaviour five years previous. Sniffling, she swiped at her eyes.

"Well, you know better than what I do about the whole thing, so I'll put it in your hands, just send me the bill so I can pay for it." Ellison chocked out.

"Don't worry, honey, they'll set it all to rights, you just wait and see," Billy replied, patting her leg reassuringly. "You just watch."

Thanks for reading, drop a review before you leave and let me know what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

Only a small one this time, but I promise to make the next one much longer to make up for it! Thanks Pinkbelt and soccer-bitch for helping me out. LOVES to all those who have reviewed, added me to their story alerts and just stopped in to check out my story. Oh and before I forget, I do not own Twilight and am not making any money from this piece of writing.

Chapter Four: Footprints in the Sand

Her heart ached and knees shook as she stared at what remained of her mother's home. Skeletal rotted beams reaching mournfully towards the sky, groaning and crying as the wind blew past them. Loud cracks and shuddering booms sounded from inside the house, indicating the level of activity that was going on. Sinking to the ground with a soft whimper, Ellison barely noticed her food basket resting beside her. Her home wasn't meant to look like that, torn open and bleeding. It was meant to look welcoming, warm, comforting, whole. Instead it was broken, shattered, dying. The world hadn't been kind to the small cabin.

All of the physical reminders were gone. What was once, the kitchen the bedrooms, the bath, were now all jigsaw pieces of cement and wooden frames. Splinted wood scattered the yard as another wall was knocked out, Ellison flinched at the resounding boom as tears pricked her eyes. Disappointment and self loathing stabbed at her heart repeatedly. Was this really the fate that she wanted from the old homestead? It was too late to change her mind, too late for regrets. Another wall collapsed, flying wood chips darted around everywhere. Ellison pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She watched for a while longer, the pain slowly lessening as she gradually became desensitized.

"You weren't home," said a voice next to her. Paul gave her a grim smile when she turned to face him. He was covered in a fine dust from head to toe. It covered his black wife beater and heavy dark jeans like a second skin. Without realizing, Ellison's hand drifted to his fine silken hair, ruffling it to brush the dust off. His large warm hand clasped at her own, pulling it down to his mouth. He pressed a soft, delicate kiss to her wrist before holding it by his chest. "I was worried." she stared at him blankly, the warmth from his lips still dancing on her sensitive flesh.

Shaking back to reality, she turned her eyes back to the ruins. "I finished cooking early and decided to bring you guys food instead of making you fetch it yourself," she replied quietly. "It looks so sad and wounded." Paul moved the basket and wrapped his other arm around her shoulders, blocking her view from the house.

"We had hoped to keep you from here before we were up to building the new foundations." he threw a look over his own shoulder and then turned back to her. "I know you're hurting right now but we're all trying. I also know how hard it is to say goodbye. So maybe try and look at it this way, we're building a strong foundation on the ground of good memories."

Sighing, she nodded. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was better than nothing. And besides, the boys were working their hardest to make her feel at home and trying to create the perfect new one. She was going to be exactly at home, or at least the land she once called home, and in a house that was completely hers. There was nothing stopping her making her own footprint and her own new memories. A brief flash thought danced through her mind. Would Paul star in a few of those memories?

"How long do you think its going to take to finish?" she asked after a while.

He looked aver to the house with a contemplative frown. "A few weeks if we're not interrupted, a little over a month and a half if we are." Ellison nodded briefly before looking at him once more.

"What's it going to look like when its done?" Paul's bright smile stunned her momentarily. Standing up in a fluid motion, he held out his hand to help her up. Giving him a quizzical look, she gave him her hand. He pulled her up easily. Leaning down he picked up the basket. Keeping her arm tucked close to his body, he walked over to Sam who was standing at the recently destroyed wall.

""I'm going to take Ellie down the road to see what her house will look like when we're done." Paul notified him and handed the food basket over. "We'll be back in a few hours." Sam nodded and watched them walk down the small lane.

**

Nestled in the woods like a baby in a blanket, the small log cabin reminded Ellison of the old hunting stories her father used to tell her. It was weathered, vintage, a true home. A gravel path circled the front of the home, leading back to the road. The windows were large and open, green curtains fluttered in the breeze. She walked to the small porch, her fingers dancing along the pine railing. Turning, she looked at Paul with a smile on her face.

"Its beautiful. Who owns it?" He walked up to her, leaving almost no space between them.

"Mine," he rumbled out. Ellison blinked up at him for a moment then turned back to the house.

"You're lucky," she sighed, walking up the small steps. Paul followed her, opening the door.

"Welcome to my home, Ellie."

Sorry for the short chapter, I am planning on having a longer one when I post next. Don't forget to review! LOL have a great one!


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own twilight, nor am I making any money from this. Thanks to my beta, Pinkbelt for helping me out with this one. I am so glad this chapter was easier to write than the last one. As you can see, its a longer chapter, just like I promised. A shout out to you guys for reading this, thank you, oh and if you want to read something well written, check out mhgood's profile. She has a story called Haven of Family. It is a really captivating story and I highly recommend it. So read, enjoy, and please leave a review at the end. Anyway, on with the story.

Chapter Five: Dinner and a Show...

The Saw Mill office was a miserable place to work. It was falling apart, shelves hung on a lean, saw dust covered every available surface. The yellow pages of a catalogue flipped in the draft that blew in from one of the many cracks in the walls. Pushing her thick hair back, she stood up and stretched. Twelve more minutes before she could finish. Long nails tapped out a tune as she looked around once again. The paint was pealing off one of the walls to show the chip rock beneath, Its grayed tone was once probably a yellow color, bright and cheery, now drab and dreary. There was absolutely nothing that kept her there. The pay wasn't even worth staying. But until she managed to find another job, this was it. There was no where else that Pandora West could possibly go. The phone rang shrilly. She stared at it, not sure if she wanted to answer. It rang and rang. Slamming her fist down onto the crappy built bench top, she picked up the ugly mustard receiver.

"Forks Saw Mill, Pandora West speaking," her voice was sickly sweet, itching to be sarcastic and vicious.

"Panda," came the calm and deep husky voice of her cousin, Sam Uley. Her gray eyes widened happily and she straightened in interest.

"Sammy! Its great to hear your voice," she replied, enthused. "What have you been up to?" his low laughter cheering her up immensely.

"I have a friend of mine coming over there soon. His name is Jacob and he needs to put in an order for enough wood to build another cabin," he said quietly. She could hear people talking and laughing in the back ground.

"How come you're building another cabin?" she asked curiously, smoothing her red pencil skirt down her thighs absently.

"Do you remember the old medicine woman's cabin?"

"The old Rae place? Sure, what about it?" hooking the computer chair with her foot, she dragged it over and settled in it, the conversation proving to be an interesting one.

"Her daughter, Ellison has decided to move back and we've agreed to rebuild it." he replied. "we've pulled it down and are going to put up a replica of Paul's cabin so we need a little more wood than last time. Same measurements though." She grabbed the pen she was fiddling with and pulled a note pad close and started to doodle.

"So who's coming to pick up the first load?" she asked curiously, looking back up to the clock. Seven minutes left.

"Jacob Black, but we're not picking anything up today, we just want to put in an order for asap and delivery." Jotting down the name, Pandora nodded absently. The door jingled, letting her know there was a visitor. Holding up a finger, she decided to rap up the call.

"Just got a client, Sam, I'll talk to you tonight."

"You coming around for dinner, then?" he sounded pleased. "Emily will be glad, she's missed you and I'm sure Leah would be grateful to finally have a friend to hang out with."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be around at six thirty, make sure those kids of yours don't eat all the food, 'kay?"

"I hold no promises, see you soon."

"Bye Sam," she replied, hanging up the phone. Looking up, her breath caught in her throat. Before her stood the most captivating man she had ever seen. Dressed in a pair of black shorts and a tight white shirt, an incredibly muscular Quileute man stood in front of her. His hair was shortish and shaggy framing a friendly handsome face. It was his eyes that caught her attention the most. It felt like they were piercing her soul, claiming, possessing, capturing. Her hand came up to her neck in a timid gesture. The man before her was one of a kind.

"Hi, I'm Jacob, my friend Sam said he would call to let you know that I was coming," she nodded brokenly, in shock as his voice caressed her like the most expensive velvet. She blinked as he cleared his throat, obviously waiting for an answer. A blush flooded her cheeks.

"Um, yeah, I just got off the phone with him," she looked down at the pad before looking back up to him. He stared at her, his eyes glittering in amusement and something else that she couldn't quite make out. "I'm Pandora, what do you need?" her tone slowly got stronger. The last thing she wanted was for Jacob to think that she was another blushing shy school girl. He smirked, white teeth glimmering against his deliciously russet skin. Leaning against the bench, he reached out and tucked a tendril of hair behind her ear.

"How about a date tonight to Sam's for dinner?" Pandora's eyes widened in shock.

**

Ellison looked around the home, her eyes darting around, trying to take everything in. Yes, it was masculine, but it was so artfully decorated. The furniture was made of the same wood of the house, the only colors coming from the covers and objects scattered around. His couch was the only piece of furniture that was store bought. All over the walls were tribal murals and artifacts with photos of family and friends thrown in for good measure. His kitchen was open and a handsome handmade breakfast bench was his dining table. To her right were two closed doors. Ellison assumed they led to his bedroom and bathroom. She wondered briefly what his bedroom looked like before shying away from that train of thought. Paul stood behind her at the door, letting her take in her surroundings. He winced slightly as her boots squeaked on his polished wooden floor.

"Um, I don't want to seem rude, but, uh, I just got the floors redone..." he trailed off sheepishly, kicking off his own work boots at the door. Her eyes widened in understanding and walked back to him. Balancing on one foot, she struggled to take off the boots, almost falling into him. With a light chuckle, he held onto an elbow, giving her the support to finish. A flush stole up her cheeks as she looked up at him shyly through her lashes. He smiled at her, no sign of any smugness or smirking. Returning it, she let him lead her to the evergreen two seater. The couch was turned to face the glass sliding doors leading to a small clearing and the woods. In the corner against the right wall was a decent sized television and to their left was the kitchen. 

"I don't watch T.V here much, I look out at the woods more often than not," he said in explanation of the couch position.

"Its a nice view," Ellison replied, drawing her sock covered feet up. Paul sat next to her, sprawled out comfortably. A warm thigh pressed against hers, warming her slightly cool body. He stared at her with an unreadable expression. Being honest with herself, it kind of unnerved her. They were quiet for a while, staring out the window.

"Are you alright now?" he asked suddenly, causing Ellison to jump a little. Looking at him, she nodded a little. She wasn't as bad as she had been earlier. The pain still ached in her heart, keeping in time with her heartbeat, but she had a handle on it.

"I'm coping," she replied shakily. "It was a bit of a shock." he nodded and they lapsed into silence again. Carefully, he drew her into his arms, her back pressed against his chest and their feet tangled where she had been sitting. Tensing, she shifted to look up at him, her expression guarded.

"You looked like you needed some kind of contact and this is comfortable," he shrugged, leaning back against the arm rest, his well formed muscles relaxing. She could have sworn he would always remain tensed towards action. His comfortable state unbalanced her. Still, his higher body temperature seeped through her black turtleneck and lulled her to a state of blissful bonelessness. Gently, he stroked her upper arm, sending delightful shivers through her. There was no way she could deny that he was a very attractive man.

"What are you thinking?" his husky voice was thrilling, making her toes curl in delight.

"A few things," she shrugged, wanting to play things cool.

"Tell me?" he asked almost flirtatiously. Red danced up her neck and settled on her cheeks and ear lobes.

"I have two things on my mind," she began, "Well, three, but the third one isn't all that important."

"Tell me anyway," he coaxed, his nose buried in her hair. His other hand drifted to the end of her braid, tugging at the elastic that held it together. It released, untangling her thick brown mane from its confines. Immediately he buried his fingers into the silken mass. Sighing in delight as he started to massage her head, Ellison tucked herself under his chin, trying to figure out the words she wanted to use.

"Well, the first thing I've been thinking about is when I should expect you to revert back to my bully." she revealed. "Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the support you've given me and I am also enjoying the attention. I just want to know when I should expect it to stop." He remained quiet for a moment, thinking about how he was going to answer.

"I stopped being your bully the day you found out about your mother. I wanted to be your friend and support you when you needed someone the most. But you left before I could prove that to you." his voice was sending vibrations through her body where she was leaning against his chest. "So as to when I return to that, never, I don't want to be your bully." she shifted again so that she could look at him. Meeting his almost black eyes, she gave him a tender smile before shifting back to her comfortable position curled under his chin. "So what is the second and third?"

"Well, the second is how nice it is here with you. I never thought that I would do this with you, and the third," she began to blush again, "is that I'm hungry. I packed my own lunch in with yours and the guys." Paul began to chuckle before letting out a booming laugh.

"Well, I can guaranty that it is all gone by now, Ellie, babe, us Quileute boys adore your cooking," he teased. "I've got some food here, we can make ourselves something."

"I'll make us something, that's the deal, right? Just point me to the ingredients."

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review, I'll love you forever! 


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry about how long this took me to update, i did the foolish thing of watching Star Trek at the movies! Thanks to PinkBelt for helping me out with this one.

Chapter Six: Music and a Breakfast Bench

With steady hands, Ellison chopped the onions finely to the beat of the song blaring out of the portable radio that Paul had pulled out. Humming with the music, she sprinkled the vegetable over the salad wraps she was making; her handsome companion had disappeared into the bathroom to take a much needed shower. It was nice, the subtle feeling of homely companionship that they shared. She felt totally at ease in his kitchen, almost as if it was her own. However its familiarity had her shying away from feeling truly comfortable. Several times Ellison had to remind herself that she was a guest in his home, no matter how Paul made her feel otherwise.

In the background she heard the shower stop. Pulling two semi ripe tomatoes towards her, she concentrated hard on slicing them perfectly, her imagination playing hard ball with her rational side through fantasy images of a very wet and very naked Paul. Gone was her childhood bully. In his place stood a very attractive man who seemed somewhat interested in her. But was she really ready to take that plunge again? Her last boyfriend was a complete and total jerk, all smiles and smooth charm hiding a manipulative lying scum bag. Almost unconsciously Ellison began comparing him to Paul, unsurprised when the former came up completely wanting. The one thing she knew without a doubt was that Paul never lied to her, not even when he was teasing her about her braces or glasses.

A small sound alerted her attention. Turning around quickly she saw Paul leaning on the back of the couch, watching her musing and making their lunch. Red bloomed on her cheeks as they heated under his intense study. "Lunch is almost ready," she murmured quietly, turning her attention back to the chopping board. Ellison never noticed him stalking towards her as a lion does his prey. Abruptly she was spun around, the knife clattering harmlessly out of the way. Before she could say a word, Paul's lips were on hers.

She was lifted up to the breakfast bar, his hands wrapped tightly around her thighs. The hard bench top was cold against her backside. Nothing but pure heat was in front of her. Fingers travelled over the denim of her jeans, drawing lines of passion before making their way to her hair. Lips met and melded. Using forceful pressure on her scalp, he tilted her head for a deeper angle. Softly panted moans escaped her mouth as his tongue teased her lips. A hand drifted up from her leg to her chin as he broke from her lips, arching her throat for his access.

A startled cry escaped her throat as his teeth scraped the sensitive skin behind her ear. Her socked feet curved against the back of his thighs before moving up and wrapping themselves around his waist. With a shaky pant at her neck, Paul pressed his hips to hers and brought his lips back to hers. He overwhelmed her. Nipping at her lips, he barely waited for her mouth to open before he dominated her mouth with his tongue.

Her heart thudded against her chest, almost bruising in its intensity. Oh what he was doing to her was driving her mad. Fire flooded through her veins lighting a heat that caused her to go absolutely crazy. He was all around her, consuming her, taking her whole soul into him. A small voice in the back of her mind protested, yelling that what she was doing wasn't normal acceptable behavior. With a reluctant push, Ellison broke away from him.

Paul stood there close to her, his eyes almost black with excitement and confusion. His chest heaved under the tight cotton of his wife beater. An image of a pacing caged predator flashed through her mind. He was wild, barely under control as he stared at her hungrily. And to be honest, she admitted to herself, she probably wasn't much different. Those sinfully talented lips branded her like a prized mare. He shifted towards her once more. Holding her hand up, she stared up at him remorsefully. "We can't do this, Paul," Ellison said slowly, her voice shaky. She could hardly believe how their kissing started. One moment she was cutting up tomatoes and the next he had turned her around and pressed his lips against hers.

An eyebrow arched her way. "Why not? I'm attracted to you, you're attracted to me, Hell, a moment ago you were pulling me to you as much as I was with you." He moved closer to her, his lips pressed against her ear. "We could both enjoy those nice breathy moans you were giving just a moment ago." Sinful tempting breaths puffed at her ear as he spoke, sending thrilling shivers down her spine.

Pulling back, Ellison's honey eyes stared into his seriously. "We barely know each other, Paul. I'm not the type of girl who sleeps with a guy just because they're attracted to them. I'm sorry, but I need to have some kind of relationship before I go down that road." His arms drifted off her body and locked either side of her. Steady eyes focused on hers while he was silent.

"I can respect that," he said after a while. "But I want you to know that I'm not the type of guy who does one night stands. Once I'm with you, I'm there at your side, no straying, no looking at some other girl, I will be completely and wholly yours," he stated strongly, his voice unwavering. Ellison was shocked at his words, and their tone. He seemed so sincere, so sure of the possibility of them. She turned her head away from his gaze, staring out the kitchen window for a moment to collect her thoughts.

"You seem so sure that we'll be together," she said quietly, almost to herself. "I don't think I am ready for that."

"I'll be waiting for you," he said honestly. "I want you to give this, us, a chance. We'll do it all so-like if you want it that way." Turning back to him, she studied his face for a moment, noting how earnest he was.

"I should go," she murmured, hopping down off the bench, her body unintentionally sliding down his front. Ellison felt the vibrations of his groan as she ducked under his arm. Swallowing, she watched as he leaned heavily against the breakfast counter. "I'll see you tonight at Sam's?" she asked quietly, biting her lip self consciously. His head bobbed up and down in agreement, his eyes not meeting hers. "I'll, um, let myself out."

**

"What's the matter Sonny?" Billy asked as Ellison walked back into the house. "Sam dropped off the basket a while ago, said that Paul took you to his house to calm down a bit."

Ellison stared at her uncle for a bit, her expression unreadable. Walking over to the couch, she slumped down into it, a stray feeling of exhaustion washing over her. Deputy jumped into her arms giving her doggy kisses and happy grunts while she rubbed his belly absently. "Uncle, how…god, I don't know how to put this…How would you rate Sam and the gang? Compared to the other guys around here?" Billy gave her a knowing look before answering.

"Those boys are the tribe's protectors, as assigned by the tribal elders, kind of like the warriors of old. Its tough shoes to fill, considering the fact that the council decided to put it into practice again. Not everyone can be a protector and those boys work hard at what they do. They're proud of their tribal heritage, just like you, and encourage others your age to connect with your ancestors. Not many boys are willing to put in as much effort as the pack is into the community. Most of the others are all talk. They're honorable boys and I'd let one of them date Rachel if they showed any interest with ease."

Ellison nodded. She could always count on her uncle giving her honest opinions. It was the way he was. "Do you remember me telling you about Evan?" he gave her a nod. "Well, I think I did something foolish today," Taking in a deep breath, she prepared to tell her story. "I kissed Paul, well, he kissed me but I kissed back."

"And this is foolish, how?" a slightly hysterical laugh burst out of her mouth as her uncle tried to copy modern day colloquial.

"So you're still down with the kid's huh?" she mentioned casually. He gave her a bright nod and a foolish rock on hand sign. "But no, I don't regret kissing him, only the timing and some other stuff. Don't worry, I won't make your ears bleed with how good a kisser he is." Billy let out a relieved sigh. "In kind of told him that I'm not into one night stands then walked out. Before I left he did mention that he wanted more, but I'm kind of terrified and really don't know how to tell him about Evan."

Billy was silent for a while patting Deputy when he jumped laps. "Paul dated my Rachel for about a year after you left, treated her like a queen and remained faithful when she left back to college. It was only when she met some guy from down south did the relationship die. I don't mean to sound like a used car sales man, but you could do a hell of a lot worse than Paul." She leant over and gave him a huge hug.

"Thanks Uncle Billy," she said in his ear before leaning back slightly to kiss his cheek. "I'm going to go get ready for Dinner at Sam's."


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok, its been a while since you last saw me update, and I'm sorry, it took me a while to get back my Paul Muse, I had to beat an old lady with a handbag filled with liquid concrete, it wasn't pretty! LOL. Anyway, so, I downloaded a fan made album of New Moon from Bittorrent and its siren's call brought back Paul Muse, so thank the holy hand grenade of Antioch and the internet for trapping that wily beast and bringing you this next installment. Next chapter….Dinner and a Show….is currently in the works. I have about half of it done, so play nice kiddies and review, they inspire me to pump out more chapters! Anyway, I'll toss out the standard disclaimer and stop typing so you can get to the chapter….enjoy….And I don't own Twilight….**

**Chapter Seven: Children, please…**

"I've met THE ONE!" Jacob burst into Ellison's room, beaming as though he one the lottery. Arching a shaped brow, Ellison pulled the last of her blue shirt over her grey camisole and straightened the fabric.

"The one what?" she teased, moving over to the bed and slipping on a pair of calf high, soft leather grey boots over her blue jeans.

"THE one! My soul mate, the woman I'm going to be with for the rest of my life, the woman I'm going to marry!" His voice was jubilant and excited. Large muscular arms gathered her from her bed and spun her around giddily. Letting out a giggle, Ellison wrapped her arms around him securely, getting caught up in his happiness.

"Who is she?" She asked as he shifted her easily.

"Pandora, she works at the Mill and, god, Ellie, she's so beautiful!" Jacob said, his eyes bright.

"You get a date?" he nodded and put her back down before flopping onto the bed. "You're acting like a teenaged girl who just got her first kiss," Ellison noted wryly before hopping onto the bed next to her cousin. "So….dish!"

"She looks a little like you, just a bit taller," he began lightly, "Really pretty brown eyes, and curves a guy could get lost in…" Jacob trailed off with a sigh, causing Ellison to roll her eyes. "She knows Sam and is coming to dinner tonight. I'm going to be her escort!" Looking so proud, he sent Ellison into a fit of giggles. He sobered suddenly, staring at his cousin. "I need your help on what to wear. I want to make a good impression."

"Don't worry big cous, I'll help you out," she nudged him and got up. "Let's see what's in your wardrobe." He got up faster than she expected, causing her to yelp in surprise.

"Thanks," he replied, wrapping her into a hug. "So what happened today? Sam said you and Paul went to have a look at his place. Anything happen?" He waggled his eyebrows teasingly before tugging her into the direction to his room. "Since I'm acting like a girl and all, your turn to dish."

She blushed, she couldn't help it. Everything that she had been trying to block out rushed straight into her mind once more, the cuddling, the kiss, her racing out, all of it. "Jacob, I think I really screwed up!" she almost wailed as she walked into his room. She stopped….and stared. "Dear GOD! Get out of the room Jake; we need HAZMAT Suits! This is a Biohazard!" Everything that could be pulled out of his drawers were scattered all over the available surface, no floor could be seen.

"It's not that bad," Jacob replied, red staining his cheeks as he began to pick up a few clothes off the floor.

"Honey, I'm scared to move past this door frame, how do you think your Pandora is going to act when she sees this?" Ellison pointed out. Her large cousin paled and he started to pick things up in a faster fashion. "At least sort your clothes into clean and not clean, we can worry about tidying up a little later on," She said, taking pity on him.

"So what happened at Paul's?" Jacob asked, the dirty laundry pile getting steadily larger as he spoke.

She leaned against the door frame, her mouth pulling down in a frown. "I came by today to drop off lunch, I felt guilty that you guys always came to me for the food, and I saw the place." Jacob tossed her a sympathetic glance.

"Its going to look really good when its done, Sonny, trust me," he reassured, finally tossing a shirt in the direction of his wardrobe, giving the dirty pile a rest.

"I do, Jake, you know I do," she said softly before continuing her story. "Anyway, I got caught in the moment and Paul comforted me. Sam saw us and told Paul to show me what the place would look like when it was done, I think to get me away from the place, so he took the food and Paul led me down the road.

His house is really pretty, Jake, small, but perfect. He told me that he had just gotten the floors re-done so we pulled off our shoes and sat on the couch for a bit." She started to blush. "He pulled me into his arms and shifted us so that we were laying on the couch. We stayed like that, talking for a while then I made lunch while he had a shower.

We kissed, Jake, well, he kissed me and after I got over my shock, I kissed him back," Ellison stared down at the floor, her voice trailing off into a whisper. "I ran out after that and came back here."

"Why did you run out?" Jacob asked, confused. "You kissed him back, I don't understand what the big deal is here."

"Evan," she said simply, looking out his window. Jacob's expression darkened at the name.

"Why are you letting that asshole come between you and, I can't believe I'm saying this, an actual decent guy like Paul?"

"You're not a girl, so I forgive your denseness," Ellison replied, wryly, "What Evan did to me, kind of leaves a lasting affect on how a girl reacts to being kissed by another guy."

"Ellison, the guy slept with you then had the audacity to get caught in a threesome the next day and didn't care about it," Jacob said incredulously. "I think that says something more about him that you, you know, the fact that he's a fucking bastard that I should have torn to shreds when you called us in tears. Not all guys are like that, especially Quileute boys, we know that the woman is the queen and us men are her slaves," he tossed her a grin. "And we never ever go against our queens or we'll have our asses handed to us."

"We've taught you well," Ellison teased with a laugh before sobering. "I kind of ran out on him, I doubt that he's going to let me have a second chance. He probably thinks I'm a freak!"

"Don't be stupid, Sonny, it really doesn't suit you," Jacob said sharply. "From what I can see, that guy really likes you, more that he felt for Rachel anyway. He'll give you another opportunity to jump his bones."

"Very crass, Jake, congratulations," she replied sarcastically before moving further into the bedroom. "Are the jeans I bought you for Christmas clean?" He nodded. "Pair them with a black wife beater and that black silk looking top I can spy in your closet and you should be good."

"But Sonny," Jacob gave her a wide-eyed look, "How on earth will I know what shoes to wear?"

Ellison let out a sharp snort followed by giggles. "You're a dag, an adorable one, but still a dag."

"Take the SUV?"

"You just want to be able to fit into a car comfortably," she teased. "Maybe you should lay off the baked goods?"

His mouth shot open in shock before a devious smirk graced his lips. Ellison let out a squeal as he lunged, racing down to the lounge room. "Uncle Billy, Uncle Billy! The Big Bad Wolf is going to eat me!" she laughed, racing around the man in the wheel chair and darting outside. Jacob followed her quickly, tackling her in a tickling frenzy.

Billy guffawed from the house uproariously as Deputy barked at the two from his lap. Shrieks and laughter echoed up from the two as they rolled around on the grass, wrestling each other as they used two when they were kids. Around them glowed golden as the sun slowly set.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey hey, new chapter, hope you enjoy. To those who reviewed, I have left a Paul clone in your room…try not to have too much fun *wink wink*…This is dedicated to my brother: This is what can happen when I finally meet that new girlfriend of yours….I know where the baby photos are and I'm not afraid to use 'em.**

**Standard Disclaimer applies…**

**AN/2 Ok, I've been working on this one for a little over a month, been struggling with any kind of writing recently, even with a shopping list! *blush* also, my beta reader is currently unavailable, so I'm in the market for a new one. If you like my story and would like to be my beta reader, drop me a line please, and I'll get back to you asap!**

**Chapter Eight: Dinner and a Show…**

"So how long have you known Jacob?" Pandora asked Ellison as she took a bite of mashed potato. Emily, Sam's partner, grabbed a bowl of peas and served herself some before passing it over to Paul. Glaring at it, he put it back on the table and began to wolf down his food. Ellison rolled her eyes with Jacob and turned her attention back to Pandora.

"Long enough to know all of his embarrassing secrets," she replied sweetly, cutting her steak with a teasing grin, "I'm his cousin."

"Really?" Pandora smiled at Jacob, her brown eyes drawn to his. Ellison could see his arm shifting, as though his hand was coming to rest on the other girl's knee. A furious blush stole across Pandora's cheeks. Paul shifted beside her, slowing down his inhalation of food as his plate emptied. Sam tossed him an amused grin before focusing on his own plate.

"Yeah, but I haven't been around La Push for a couple of years, I moved in with my aunt and couldn't keep up with the count on how many girls caught Jake's eye." Said cousin made slashing gestures frantically, trying to get her to stop speaking. A devilish twinkle gleamed in her eyes as she leaned closer to the girl. "But I can tell you where the naked baby photos are." Emily let out a giggle and continued eating.

"A—and Sonny's going to shut up now or be gagged by Paul's tongue," Jacob broke in hastily, smirking victoriously as a red blush raced across her cheeks. Paul leaned back next to her, his plate clean and tossed an arm over the back of her chair. Embarrassed more than she realized, she studiously stared away from the man beside her. Pandora let out a tinkling laugh.

"You know, you guys act more like siblings rather than cousins," she pointed out as Jacob and Ellison glared at each other over the table playfully.

"They grew up in each other's back yard," Sam replied, reaching over the table to snag the bowl of potatoes and heaped another helping onto his plate. "They drove everyone insane during the bonfires."

"I wished Mom would have let me go to them," Pandora said wistfully. "It would have been so much fun."

"It is," Emily replied. "Jacob's father, Billy Black, he's sort of the tribe's story teller. He really knows how to bring the tribal tales to life."

"I missed them when I was away," Ellison said, somewhat subdued. "Mom would spend the entire day baking goodies, like brownies and cookies, to take. I used to get into trouble of sneaking off with the cookie dough." She was suddenly aware of Paul's fingers stroking her neck softly. It was comforting, but at the same time had her neck tingling hotly.

"What does she cook now?" Pandora asked.

The table went quiet, everyone's gaze darting to both Jacob and Ellison. Sam and Emily shared a look as Paul's fingers retained their slow, soothing rhythm. Jacob swallowed a few times, his body shaking slightly before calming. Hands trembling a little, Ellison looked at Pandora with a strained expression. "She doesn't cook anything anymore; she passed away a couple of years ago." The other girl's expression turned stricken.

"Oh, geez, I'm so sorry, I—I didn't know," Pandora stumbled, her hand covering her mouth. Sam leaned forward and put another steak on his plate.

"It's alright, Panda," Sam spoke up. "You didn't know." He leaned back into his chair and stared at Jacob until his trembles disappeared.

"Its fine, Pandora," Ellison said, smiling a little sadly. "It's not something to open a conversation with."

Paul's hand moved from her neck down to her legs, soothing circles with the pad of his thumb. Searing heat pooled through her jeans and left and invisible brand on her thigh. He was surprisingly well behaved, keeping his distance but at the same time making sure she was aware of his every single move.

"I still feel guilty," Pandora replied, her eyes downcast. "I mean, we were having a good conversation then I put my foot into my mouth."

"Honestly, it isn't something to get too upset over," Ellison said gently, "Besides, my mom managed to get some awesome bribery pictures of Jacob that I have stored in a secret place. I'll break them out sometimes."

"I loathe you, Sonny," Jacob jumped back into the conversation with a pleasant smile.

"Love you too, cousin, especially when you start trying on my pink bras," she replied back sweetly, reminding him of when her suitcase burst all over him."

Pandora watched them with undisguised glee. "This is something I really want to hear about."

Paul and Sam let out a laugh as Ellison leaned forward. "Well, I got them to bring my things in from my car when I moved back. Jacob forgot that I had set down a suitcase by the door and ended up tripping over it when he went out to get more things," As she was talking, Jacob moved his plate then buried his head in his arms with a groan. "The case was filled to the absolute brim with all of my clothes and burst open with his weight, my bras going everywhere, with a pink one landing on his head."

Everyone couldn't help themselves as they burst into laughter. Jacob remained where he was, head hidden, and mumbled threats drifting to the others every now and then.

###

It was cold outside, but peaceful; wisps of cloud covered the moon for brief moments before silently moving on. Ellison leaned against the porch railing with a light sigh. The others were watching a movie, not noticing that she hadn't come back from her bathroom break. The evening was good, she didn't deny that at all, but for some reason, she couldn't fight the blanket of melancholy that had settled over her. It was as though everything had rushed her, coming home, the situation with her ex, and the situation with Paul. It wasn't as though she was going to collapse in tears; she had gotten to the point where tears were almost impossibility at that moment. No, it was more like a heavy pressure, like gravity had doubled around her with a strange sensation of dread thrown in for a mix.

She had no idea what to do with the situation with Paul. The way Evan had treated her left her insecure and unsure on her course of action. Paul had been amazing to her, treated her like a woman, respected her, but the pain Evan put her through wouldn't be pushed to the back burner.

"It was lonely without you this afternoon," a voice said from behind her. She turned quickly, catching sight of Paul deep within the shadows of the house. Slow, sure movements brought him in front of her, pressing her back into the railing. "It was hard to concentrate on working," he continued, bringing his hand up to smooth her hair back before floating down to her cheek. His warm thumb swiped at her bottom lip sensuously before he moved back with a sigh.

"Jacob said that I should ask you about some guy, Evan…is he the guy that hurt you so badly that you won't give me a chance?" He asked her, his eyes pinned on hers, even as she flinched at the name.

"I wish Jacob would have waited before mentioning him, I was going to tell you, eventually," she said softly, turning around to stare out at the dark forest. Pure warmth at her back told her that Paul had stepped closer to her. "Evan was a man I thought I was in love with. We met while I was at college, at a party. He made it obvious that he wanted to sleep with me, but I wasn't ready for that, so he agreed to a relationship. We were together for a few months before he started to really put on the pressure for me to sleep with him."

Paul's arms reached around her, pulling her back into him. He let her continue talking, just holding her close to him.

"It was another couple of months before I agreed to sleep with him. By that time he had successfully tore any self confidence I had to shreds. It was a mistake to sleep with him; I knew that almost immediately after I said yes to him. It was nothing like the books described, there was no fireworks, no all encompassing passion, nothing. It hurt like hell and was over almost immediately. The next day, after class, I came by his apartment to do some study cause the dorms were really loud. I heard muffled groans and some woman talking when I walked into the lounge room. I went upstairs and opened the door. There he was with two girls that I took naturopathy with." She sighed, and leaned back against Paul. "he acted like it was no big deal, said that I wasn't good enough, that I acted like a dead fish in bed and had to look for a fun time elsewhere, guys had needs and so forth."

The man behind her started to tremble. Idly, Ellison stroked his forearm wrapped around her stomach. The shaking slowed then stopped after a while.

"I do want to give you a chance, Paul; I just need to get over my issues so that I can give you the proper attention, instead of always wondering if you're sleeping with someone else."

"Quileute men aren't like that ass, Sonny," he said after a moment, his voice tight, "And I know for a fact you're not a dead fish, your responses this afternoon proved that you're a very passionate woman. But I told you that I would wait for you, until you're ready, and I'm a man of my word, I'll wait. When you're ready, I'm yours, you come find me, and I'll prove to you how much I'm yours. As for that Evan guy, if he shows up on the res, well, he should worry about more than just Jacob; he's now got me to deal with. No one hurts you girls, not without consequences.


	9. Chapter 9

**OMG! OMG! OMG! AN UPDATE! Lol. Yes, its finally here, the long and eagerly awaited new chapter ^^ (well, I at least hope that some of you are still eagerly awaiting this ^^). Now I don't own twilight, or anything to do with Twilight, but if I did, well, there wouldn't be a lot of Vampires in it and Bella wouldn't be as "woe is me" and she wouldn't hook up with Edward the Sparkly Vampire. (sorry to those who like him, no offense is meant.) It would be WOLF PACK ALL THE WAY!...Anyway, New chapter ^^ so please read and review, I love hearing from you guys ^^.**

**Chapter Nine: Waiting…. **

Ellison walked down the stairs, hiding a yawn behind her hand. Jacob and she hadn't gotten back until late, thanks to him 'borrowing' her car to take Pandora back home while she and Paul were talking. Too exhausted to yell at him, she had simply gotten into the passenger side of the car and forced him to drive her home as well. It was as though she had barely closed her eyes before her alarm shrieked at her to wake up.

Billy was already downstairs, cup of coffee on the breakfast bench and the paper in his hands. Murmuring a sleepy hello, Ellison dropped a kiss on his cheek before helping herself to a cup of tea.

"Sam called; he said that he petitioned the elders for you today and that you have an interview at five this afternoon."

"Uh-huh…wait—what?" Ellison stared at her uncle with ill-disguised horror. "That's not nearly enough time to prepare my proposals, or introduction speech and everything! I haven't even started looking at proposed properties." She started to pace, her hands pushing back her hair feverously.

"Honey, you've been preparing your proposals and speeches since you got here. I don't know anyone more prepared than you," Billy soothed. "And besides, it's just a preliminary interview. All they want to know is what your goals are. As for the property, well, they give you time for that, you've only been home two weeks, Sonny, and you grew up knowing the elders and they you."

Ellison took in a calming breath. Her uncle was right, she was overreacting and she had been prepared for some time. However, the butterflies in her stomach were ignoring her brain's message to settle and continued their circus act.

Now in grasping reach, her dream to become medicine woman was coming closer and closer, becoming something real, something tangible. Excitement slithered up her spine. Finally getting the chance to walk in her mother's footsteps was something that she had prayed for, for a very long time. And thanks to the support from her Uncle, Sam and the others, she was a hair's breath away from it.

However, the distinct possibility of being denied, simply because of her age and the short time she had spent on the reservation before her mother's passing was something that she couldn't ignore. She had to hope that her grades and the level of preparation that she had put into this would usurp any objections. It didn't matter to her if she had to go under tutorship by the other shaman; it was a price she was willing to take. Too much time and energy had gone into it that failure now was not an option. Sighing, she sat down next to her uncle, her tempestuous thoughts internalized sharply.

"I have some good news," Billy said idling, wanting to take her attention away from the meeting.

"Oh?" She asked absently, taking a sip of her beverage.

"Sam discovered a really strong foundation for the house. He's expanding the size to add two more rooms so he can lay down the frames, Should be ready to do in a few days." He watched her for a minute, making sure that he had her attention. "After that, everything goes up pretty fast. Although I think we may need to bring in an electrician and plumber. It's what they had to do with Paul's house. Embry seems pretty interested in becoming an electrician. I think he should get a traineeship with one of the guys in Forks, they're pretty trustworthy. What do you think?"

"Sounds pretty good, you should talk to Sheriff Swan to pass on the interest. "

"Charlie and I are watching the game at his house today, any chance you could drop an old man down to his best friend's place?" Ellison laughed and nodded, pleased that her stomach was finally settling down.

"Sure, and I'll whip up some grilled fish to take with you, if you like? I still remember Sue's recipe for it."

"Would you? The fish is in the freezer, you'll have to defrost it for a while; microwaving is bad for the meat… You're such a good girl, I always said that, you know…" he teased lightly.

"Hey, be nice or you can say good bye to the fish," she threatened in return, laughing at his horrified expression.

* * *

The jittering nerves refused to give up as she smoothed the white pages of a copy of her proposal down. They had been in there for over half an hour, the council, and their stern faces when she outlined what she wanted to do were less than encouraging. Ellison wanted them to accept, wanted it so bad she could almost taste it. If she succeeded it would be a physical representation of her accomplishments, of her achievements she strived so hard for since she left. It was also a way to feel close to her mother's memory once more.

If they denied her, she was sure that she would go down onto her knees and beg them to reconsider. The reservation needed another person, needed an actual tribesman to be medicine man (or woman) instead of relying solely on the good will of the Makah people.

She looked up at the clock, watching the second hand slowly tick around in circles. A wry grin made it to her mouth, time, funnily enough, was everyone's master, it didn't wait or move faster for anyone, it just made its way around continuously, at the same pace, the same beat, forcing life to following around with it. Slipping the copy of her proposal into her laptop bag, she traced the silver wolf she had sketched onto it.

For some strange reason, the image reminded her of Paul. Why, she had no idea, but it soothed her, made the wait a little more bearable. It didn't stop her, however, from wishing the Council would hurry up and make their decision to deny her or not. The waiting was definitely the hardest thing to stomach.


	10. Chapter 10

**As you all know, I don't own twilight, nor am I making any money from this fic...But...an UPDATE! Key plot points in this one ^^ so please pay attention and reivew to tell me what you think ^^**

**Chapter ten: Something new this way comes...**

Paul hammered in a nail like it was the end of days. The cabin was getting closer and closer to completion...something that he wasn't exactly looking forward to, since it would mean that he wouldn't see his imprint everyday...in an innocent context. His throat itched, like when he wanted to growl in wolf form. Raising the hammer, he slammed in down on the large nail, bending it to the right with the force behind it.

Swearing, he ripped it out with a flick of his wrist. Sam could be damned, with his rules of trying to hold some semblance of proper image. Spreading his hands out along the log, he braced himself with a sigh, his head drooping downwards. For a few moments, he just breathed, taking in the forest fresh air and calmed himself down. Rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, he tried to wipe the tiredness away. It was bone deep.

It had been three days since he last spoke to Ellison, three sleepless nights wondering if she was ever going to chance him or keep him at arm's length. Shouldn't the imprinting have some affect on her? Shouldn't she be feeling the pull just as much? Kim, Jared's girlfriend said that she felt the pull too, as soon as their eyes met after he turned wolf.

He growled viciously. It was years ago that he first saw Ellison as his imprint, years that he thought of her often, hoping, wishing, _begging_ for her to come back to him. And she had, well at least to La Push...but why was she taking so long to come to him? Oh, he knew that she was damaged from her last boyfriend...and if he ever caught the scum bag in a dark alley someday, the guy wouldn't last the night.

Being without her, not being able to hold her, it _ached_ so badly. His muscles strained against him, as though it was his fault that she wasn't in his arms. A scent drifted in the soft breeze—like wild flowers after a refreshing rain.

Closing his eyes, he cocked his head, sniffing at the air. It was just like her scent...missing only that certain aspect of _her_. God, he wanted her _so_ bad! Shifting his weight, Paul scratched at his arms absently, his blunt fingernails pushing at an odd lump, moving it strangely. He stared at his forearms...his eyes widening as his skin rippled...as fur...shifted beneath his skin...bristling in agitation...his throat began to feel thick, blocked...as snarls...animalistic snarls...were clogged, stuck there unable to escape.

It was then he was aware of it...the snarling...the pacing...the aching...of something monstrous in his mind. Letting out a startled yell, he pushed away backwards from the log, tripping over his tool box. He started to scratch at his body, trying to rub away the horrifying sensations. This wasn't supposed to happen—the only time he should go anything remotely wolf-like was when he was phasing, and he was nowhere near the angry level that was needed to phase.

His startled yell brought his pack mates by his side quickly, their eyes darting everywhere for a threat.

"What's going on Paul?" Sam asked, the first to arrive at the man's side. Jacob and Jared stared at him, a strangely worried and curious expression mirrored on each of their faces.

"Fur..." Paul choked out, holding out his arm. However, there was nothing there...apart from the red marks where he was scratching—no fur, no rippling skin. It was like there was nothing there at all. What the hell was going on? A pitiful sound escaped his throat as he looked all over the now clear arm for the course hairs that were there only moments ago.

"Sam..." he looked up at his Alpha...almost begging for the man to believe him. "There was fur, right there, underneath my skin."

"...and then it was gone," Paul said to Billy, his voice cracking a bit. Words couldn't describe how freaked out he felt, and he prayed to all the gods, spirits and ancestors he could think of, that Billy had the answers.

Billy Black looked troubled, unsure of what was going on. "I don't know what to tell you Paul, nothing like this has ever happened before. What were you doing before you saw whatever it was you saw?"

Paul's jaw clenched. He couldn't believe it, after describing, in detail, what had occurred to his village elder, the man who knew everything there was about being a shifter, thought he was lying. A familiar shudder tore through his body. Taking in deep breaths, he forced himself to calm down. It would do no good to phase in the house of his imprint's beloved uncle. She would be incredibly upset and never speak to him again, he knew it.

"I was thinking about Ellison, and how hopeless it is, at the moment, to gain her affections."

Billy's eyes were sympathetic as he looked on at Paul's hunched figure. The situation between them was a hard one, especially with Ellison's stubbornness.

"It may just be a manifestation of your fears," he replied to the younger man.

Paul scoffed. "I knew it, you don't believe me."

To be realistic, did he really expect them to? It was hard for him to believe.

"Paul, you haven't had much sleep lately, with non-stop patrols and then with the cabin and Ellison. It's probably exhaustion getting to you," reasoned Sam.

He sighed, knowing that it was a logical explanation, but it didn't explain away the sensations that he felt, that he could still feel, deep in his skin. The grumbling snarls and growls echoed through his mind as he felt himself pace without moving. When he first phased, he felt like a freak of nature, until the others joined him and Sam, then it wasn't as lonely, but now he felt like a freak. Hell, if this had been happening to someone else, he wouldn't have believed it either.

The front door slammed, shaking them all out of the dismal cloud that had enveloped them. Pattering footsteps sounded lightly, revealing a tired Ellison. All thoughts about continuing the Pack business disappeared at the sight of the woman.

It was touching to see Billy protecting his niece, but impractical. He was an important member of the council, a man who understood what the pack needed and usually had all the answers. It was a damned shame that it was all in vain. Paul had to tell her, sooner or later. She was his imprint and he couldn't ignore that.

Although it seemed like she did a decent job of it. Unlike Kim with Jared, Ellison seemed to unconsciously ignore all mental attempts for her to be closer to Paul. Her obvious heartbreak stealing away any true chance of him being able to show her that he was completely hers.

"How did it go?" Billy asked the tired woman as she flopped on the couch.

"How did what go?" Paul asked, confused to what was going on.

"Ellison had an interview with the council today," Sam filled in. "How did it go?"

"Well, after waiting an hour and a half for their decision, they came to the conclusion that they want to talk about it more and then let me know if they have accepted the first part of the proposal. After I get that, and they say yes, well then I can continue the process of finding a shop that I can operate from," she began, lifting her heavy hair off of her neck.

"If you get accepted as a candidate for the medicine person position, there is a ceremony with the council and I. And if you can get through that, then you'll be accepted for that position," Sam said, leaning back in his chair.

"Is that a tribal formality?" Paul asked as he moved behind the couch and began to rub Ellison's shoulders. The movements, although greatly relaxing for her, soothing him just as much. Her touch seemed to settle him down and take away from his troubled thoughts.

Ellison let out a soft moan as she relaxed under his touch. He couldn't help but smirk down at her. Receiving a playful glare in return, he moved his ministrations to the top of her neck, relieving any notions of a tension headache.

"Technicality," Billy replied. "Since it is a tribal position, in order to be officially instated as Medicine woman, Sonny needs to go through the ceremony. If not, and she starts practicing, someone could complain and then she would get fined for practising without the right qualifications."


End file.
